004 The importance of Praying together as a Church Acts
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 45 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
004 The importance of Praying together as a Church Acts
004 The importance of Praying together as a Church Acts
Introduction: I get the opportunity Observe Churches, how they do things, something I like others things I didn’t. One thing I noticed that bothered me was the lack of church prayer.
We are instructed in the Bible to pray. These instructions are given in the Epistles to the Church.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Pray without ceasing.
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
I Tim
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
I Tim
And the example of Church praying is found in the book of Acts.
What did praying together as a Church do for the Church?
I. -14 Prayer brought unity in the Church
A. The disciples were faced with a time of trouble and danger. They were faced with a new task at hand, they all were commanded to go, they all had a desired to serve the Lord Jesus, so they set aside their differences and came together in prayer.
“They did this with one accord. This shows that they were together in holy love, and that there was no quarrel nor discord among them; and those who so keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace are best prepared to receive the comforts of the Holy Ghost. It also intimates their worthy concurrence in the supplications that were made; though but one spoke, they all prayed, and if, when two agree to ask, it shall be done for them, much more when many agree in the same petition.
B. When the Church is not in together it hinders their prayers. .
We have been praying for a Pastor, but are we praying as one, a church untied together, working together, without any murmmering or complaining.
C. Praying in one accord became a part of the Church.
1. They would not let this unity be broken. (even when trouble came in the Church they took care of it.
2. how did they pray in one accord.
II. - The Church prayed together for the Work to go forward.
A. v. 23 The Apostles reported all that the chief priests had said to them
1. vv. 18-22
2. commanded them not to speak about Jesus
3. threaten them
4. The report was not one great days ahead, but one of “we are in a battle”. We have been told to keep our mouth shut or else.
B. vv. 24-They Church in one accord and prayed
1. v. 24 The acknowledged God
2. v. 25 They backed up their prayer by Scripture
3. vv. 26-28 They prayed about the problem at hand
4. vv. 29-30 Their prayed that the Gospel would continue
1. Prayed for boldness
2. Prayed for power to wittness, so on there knees they continued to preach the Gospel
C. v. 31 Results of their prayer
1. God answered
Praying together and God's works today
In Nepal, just 2000 Christians were known in 1990; ten years later that number had grown to half a million. Cambodia claimed only 600 believers in 1990; there is a reported 60,000 today. In Korea during the 20th Century, the country advanced from being 2 percent Christian to about 40 percent Christian today. East Africa is experiencing one of the greatest movements of God in history. In Uganda alone, HIV/AIDS once claimed the lives of one-third of the population. The World Health Organization predicted the complete collapse of the Ugandan economy by the year 2000.
But revival has come to that country. With the salvation of many has come a transformation in morals, so that AIDS is down to 5 percent. So great is this revival that one church alone went from 7 in attendance to an average of 2000 in just two weeks! Currently, that same church as a membership of 22,000 and has planted 150 other churches.
In almost every quarter of the globe, Christianity is advancing...except for four primary areas: North America, Japan, Australia, and Western Europe. Guess what one of the common denominators is everywhere Christianity marches forward? Christians spend time in prayer together. Track what God is doing in Korea, in China, in India, in Eastern Africa, and you will find behind the scenes prayer meetings.
They did this with one accord. This intimates that they were together in holy love, and that there was no quarrel nor discord among them; and those who so keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace are best prepared to receive the comforts of the Holy Ghost. It also intimates their worthy concurrence in the supplications that were made; though but one spoke, they all prayed, and if, when two agree to ask, it shall be done for them, much more when many agree in the same petition. See .
III. What does praying together do for the body of Christ?
1. God answered
III. What does praying together do for the body of Christ?
1. When we pray together, we have come to understanding that we have one thing in common, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praying together and God's works today
a. When maybe total opposites in other things, but Jesus Christ is the one thing in that should bind us together.
Right now, the Gospel is sweeping the globe at a rate that is unimaginable. Avery Willis, the VP of our IMB, has reported that statistically, most of the people who have ever been saved in history were saved during the 20th Century. Willis suggested as high as 70 percent of the total number of people who have been saved throughout world history have come to Christ in the last hundred years.
2. When we pray together are acknowledging that Christ is the head of the Christ.
But get this: 70 percent of that number has been saved since 1945! Let me boggle your mind with one other layer of observation from this world missions expert: 70 percent of those saved since 1945 were saved since 1990! That's how fast the Gospel is storming our world. That means that at the turn of the 21st Century, possibly one-third of all Christians who have ever lived have been converted since 1990!
a. We are the body of Christ, He is the head and it is His will that we should be seeking. Not our will, but His will.
b. And when we unite together in prayer
b. Not our will, but His will.
3. When we pray together you begin to know and understand the heart of the person you are praying with.
In Nepal, just 2000 Christians were known in 1990; ten years later that number had grown to half a million. Cambodia claimed only 600 believers in 1990; there is a reported 60,000 today. In Korea during the 20th Century, the country advanced from being 2 percent Christian to about 40 percent Christian today. East Africa is experiencing one of the greatest movements of God in history. In Uganda alone, HIV/AIDS once claimed the lives of one-third of the population. The World Health Organization predicted the complete collapse of the Ugandan economy by the year 2000.
But revival has come to that country. With the salvation of many has come a transformation in morals, so that AIDS is down to 5 percent. So great is this revival that one church alone went from 7 in attendance to an average of 2000 in just two weeks! Currently, that same church as a membership of 22,000 and has planted 150 other churches.
